Case Study | Child Custody | Vacant Visitation

Child Custody | Vacant Visitation

Lauth Investigations was contacted by a concerned grandmother regarding her minor grandchildren.

The Client’s son was divorced from the child’s mother, the Subject, who had begun seeing a boyfriend who was a convicted child molester. The Subject had visitation with the children, and the Client wanted to know if the boyfriend was staying at the house during the day or overnight.

The Investigation

Lauth investigators spoke with the Client and her son about what the children have stated regarding their mother’s boyfriend and how often he is present. The children informed them that the Subject usually stayed at the boyfriend’s residence.

Investigators stationed themselves outside the Subject’s residence to see if the boyfriend made an appearance at the residence while the children were present. After a few sessions of surveillance, neither the Subject nor the boyfriend’s vehicle was observed at the residence. The boyfriend lived in a trailer park, where there were no sufficient places to conduct inconspicuous surveillance and neighbors were vigilant of activity outside their homes. After much surveillance, it was determined that the boyfriend did not spend time at the Subject’s home, but that the Subject spent most of her time at the boyfriend’s trailer. It was determined that the boyfriend was not around the children. However, it was also concluded by the investigator that when the children were dropped off for visitation with their mother, the Subject would leave the children with her mother, and spend visitation time with the boyfriend instead.

The Solution

Lauth investigators compiled a report of their logged surveillance on the subject, including the findings that although the boyfriend was not around the children, the Subject was not spending visitation time with the children. This report was passed along to the Client, who advised they would be using this report in their upcoming hearing regarding sole custody of the children to the children’s father.